In the name of God, the Lord of Grace, the Ever Merciful
Indeed you are bound to die, and they too are bound to die; and then on the Day of Resurrection you all will dispute with one another in the presence of your Lord. Who could be more wrong than one who invents a lie about God and rejects the truth when it comes to him? Is not there in hell a proper abode for the unbelievers? It is the one who brings the truth and the one who accepts it as true that are God-fearing. They will have all that they wish for with their Lord: such is the reward of those who do good. God will expunge the worst of their deeds and will give them their reward in accordance with the best that they did. (The Throngs, Al-Zumar; 39: 31-35)
Commenting on the preceding passage, the surah states that the dispute between the Prophet and his opponents is left to God for judgment, which will occur after they have all died. He will requite the liars as they deserve and give generous reward to the people of the truth.
“Indeed you are bound to die, and they too are bound to die; and then on the Day of Resurrection you all will dispute with one another in the presence of your Lord.” Death is the end of every living thing. Only God remains. In death all people share the same end, including Muhammad (peace be upon him), God’s last Messenger. Mention of this fact here comes within the framework of the great truth the surah emphasizes, namely, God’s absolute oneness. This is followed by stating what comes after death, because death is not the final end: it is a link in the chain of life that has been so ordained that no part of it passes in vain. On the Day of Judgment people will stand in front of God disputing with one another over what they used to claim, and how they reacted to the guidance God sent them.
“Who could be more wrong than one who invents a lie about God and rejects the truth when it comes to him? Is not there in hell a proper abode for the unbelievers?” These are facts stated in the form of questions. None is more wrong than the person who makes false claims about God, alleging that He has daughters and partners, and who then rejects the truth preached by God’s Messenger, refusing to believe in God’s oneness. This is unbelief, and in hell there is a proper abode for all unbelievers. The interrogative form given to these two statements makes them clearer and more emphatic.
This is one party to the dispute. The other party is the one who brings the message of truth given him by God, believes in it and delivers it fully convinced of its truth. That is God’s Messenger. Sharing with him in this description are all earlier messengers of God, as well as everyone who advocates this message, fully convinced that it is true. These are indeed God-fearing.
The surah speaks further about these people and the reward God has in store for them: “They will have all that they wish for with their Lord: such is the reward of those who do good.” This is an all-embracing statement that includes all the desires that a believing soul may entertain. The verse states that this is theirs, ready for them with their Lord. This means that they have a rightful claim to it which will not be lost or denied: “Such is the reward of those who do good.”
Thus God gives them all that He wishes to give them of honour and blessing, which is in excess of their fair reward. Thus, He bestows on them an abundance of His grace: “God will expunge the worst of their deeds and will give them their reward in accordance with the best that they did.” Fairness requires that good deeds are set against bad ones and reward is determined on that basis. God’s grace, however, is that which God grants to His servants who feared Him: He writes off the worst of their deeds, so that they are not taken into account when their deeds are reckoned, and then He rewards them on the basis of the best they ever did. Thus their good deeds are made to grow and become preponderant.
Such is God’s grace which He bestows on whomever He wills. He has committed Himself to do this, giving a promise to this effect. Thus, it is a fact of which the God-fearing are certain.
